Making a Thai Snack (Wednesday Photo)

Michael Babcock, July 1st, 2009

Making a Thai Kanom

Making a Thai Snack

I’m always astounded at the variety of Thai kanom (snacks) that you come across in any Thai market. Sticky rice is best known served plain with mangos, as in Kasma’s recipe Coconut-Flavored Sticky Rice with Mangoes(Kao Nio-ow Mamuang) but there are numerous other sticky rice recipes, including this one: Steamed or Grilled Banana Leaf-Wrapped Sticky Rice Stuffed with Banana and Black Beans (Kao Dtom Pad).

Banana leaves are used in making many kanom. Typically the snack is wrapped in the banana leaf and often grilled or steamed. The banana leaf serves two purposes: it encloses the snack and it adds a bit of flavor, as well. Walking in markets you’ll see various mysterious banana leaf packages – they are usually worth a taste: they’ll only set you back a very few baht. Be warned: some of them will be savory.